Nuristan farmers worry as CCHF seems uncontrollable

PARON (Pajhwok): Some livestock in eastern Nuristan province have been infected with Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) and facing the threat of being lost, according to local farmers on Thursday.

Noor Mohammad, the owner of a cattle farm in Paron, the provincial capital, told Pajhwok Afghan News CCHF spread among domestic animals from the past one month in Paron and some other areas of the province.

“More than 15 cattle of mine had been lost due to CCHF and others are being infected, similar situation is in other cattle farms,” he said.

He said if the government did not provide them with support then they would suffer massive loss.

Gul Zaman, a cattleman in Wamma district, said the CCHF virus had spread in areas around them and up to 50 of their animals had been lost.

He said government and other relevant authorities did not provide them with support, adding that if attention was not paid to them the local livestock owners would suffer huge losses.

Agriculture Deparment Official Dr. Bakhtyar said CCHF was a serious illness among animals and they make the animals not to eat or drink. He added CCHF was a pandemic and spread from one animal to another.

He said the issue had been discussed with the Agriculture Ministry and relevant aid providing organizations.

Situated in the eastern part of the country, Nuristan is a mountainous province with massive forest cover and greenery. Over 90 percent of its inhabitants are associated with agriculture and livestock farming.

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